IndianOil's R & D technology investments span the full cycle - from strategic
research through technology development to demonstration and deployment. Envisaged
to fulfill this aspiration, a technology-marketing arm -- IndianOil Technologies
Limited -- the only venture of its kind in the Indian hydrocarbon sector, was launched
in 2003 to market the technologies, products and processes developed by the Centre.
Marking a major milestone, an agreement was signed in 2006, to deploy -- INDMAX
the hallmark refining technology developed by R & D technocrats at IndianOil's
upcoming 15 million tonne integrated refinery-cum--petrochemicals complex at Paradip
in Orissa, catapulting the Corporation into the league of multinational licensors
such as Shell, UOP and Stone & Webster. An agreement was also signed with ABB
Lummus Global Inc., USA, for worldwide licencing and marketing of IndianOil's IndMax
process technology (for refinery residue upgradation) and revamp applications.

IndianOil and Int ercat of USA have incorporated a joint venture company by the
name Indo-Cat Pvt. Ltd. as a 50:50 partnership for manufacture of 10,000 tonnes
per annum of FCC (Fluidised Catalytic Cracking) catalysts and additives. A jointly
developed catalyst (denoted as IZV series) is now being marketed by Zeolyst International
of The Netherlands, as well as IndianOil Technologies Ltd.

With regard to Indalin+ technology for naphtha upgradation, pre-feasibility of a
0.04 million tonne plant for Oil India at Duliajan has been established. IndianOil's
Needle Coke technology has also garnered considerable royalty. A notable achievement
in the area of optimisation and revamp of various FCC/RFCC units in India has been
the Flexi Cracker unit at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation's Mumbai Refinery, from
which the Centre earned substantial royalty.

Bio Fuels

Apart from core research in refining technology, lubricants formulation and associated
areas like material failure analysis, catalyst development, etc, the R & D Centre
is proactive in conducting research in the areas of alternative energy options.
It was the first to demonstrate the feasibility of producing Bio-diesel from non-edible
oils and to develop quality control methods for it. Several batches of bio-diesel
have been produced using karanjia, rice bran, sunflower, palm and jatropha oils.
The technology for production of bio-diesel was transferred to IKF Technologies,
Kolkata, the second party to opt for this technology. Further work is in progress
for developing a continuous process for production of bio-diesel, including a solid
catalyst. The Centre also acted as a nodal agency in India for conducting laboratory
scale experiments and field trails for introduction of ethanol-blended petrol.

Hydrogen Programme

Centre has been mandated to coordinate research on Hydrogen as an energy carrier.
After commissioning India's first experimental Hydrogen-CNG dispensing station in
October 2005, it signed MoUs with international agencies like KOGAS, Korea, and
New Energy&Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan, for
exchange of information in the areas of Hydrogen production, storage, transportation,
safety codes/standards, fuel cell development, vehicle performance and emissions
data for vehicles running on LNG and H-CNG blend respectively. Currently, IndianOil's
Hydrogen programme is exploring how Hydrogen-related technologies and applications
can potentially reduce transport emissions and move towards energy security. It
is planned to set up a commercial dispensing station by the year 2008.

Thrust Areas

New technologies such as gas-to-liquid and coal/residue/biomass gasification are
poised to enter India in a big way. R & D activities are being initiated in
these areas to ensure preparedness for technology assimilation.